Automatically controlled airplane



'May l9, 1931. I R. M. ADAMSON 1,805,750

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 21, 1929 2 Shee ts- Sheet 1 190k fldamson KIM nay;

May 19, 1931. R. M. ADAMSON 1,305,750

' AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED AIRPLANE I Filed Jan. 21, 1929 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 tions of the .automaticcontrol.

r Figure Tie a plan view similarto Figure 2 arm 17 willbe properlytransmitted to the 85 I 45 other positions in broken lines;

Patented May 19, 193 11 7 V UNITED SAEE' TENT "FFE L i I ROBERT ivnnnnivison, or LOsA NG EjLEs, oaLironnIn i H AUTOMATICALLY, oon'rRoLLEn'a nrLANE V Application filed January a1, 1929. Serial No. 333,911.

This invention relates to automatically ends with ailerons 12. This constructionis controlled airplanes and, more especially, to Quite common and, therefore, need not be automatic aileron control. describedin detail. p I

A bj fl' f th i ti i t pr id The-fuselage is indicated. at 13-, the wing. I

a simple and effective m ans for aut matic structure extending-therefrom, and within control of at least some-of the ailerons of the fuselage ismovably mounted a joy-stick an air la by th movements Offins hi h, 14: whereby the ailerons may he manual-ly efl ct d by van air pre ure difcontrolled, if it should-be so desired. The

in turn, are d oy-stick 1 4. has a ball and sochetmounting ferential.

1o Though it is not new to employ fins that 15in the floor 16 of the fuselage so as to are deflected by unequal air pressures, on permit said joy-stick to be moved fore and. opposite sides thereof, I have utilized such lift for elevator controlv and later ally for 1 V fins in a different manner and, thereby, have aileron and rudder control. The elevator considerably, simplified the connections be= and rudder connections are not illustrated, 1 1e. tw th fi and th ailero as they are Well understood in this art. a;

The accompanying drawings illustrate the Mounted in fore and .aftalignment -with invention. I v I the joy-stick 14-. is an arm 17. which hasa pin Figure. 1 is a rear elevation of an :autouniversal joint 18 for mounting said arm in. matically controlled .airplane,' the fuselage are shown in one position in solid linesand forked grip 1'9-adaptedtoengagethe joy-stick a in other positions in broken lines. .c 14 accordingas the arm 17 moved to the Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmental plan leftor tothe right in Figure? 1, the rightview of the outer end portion of thelower hand position being indicated inbrokenlines 21' right hand Wing in Figure 1. :VVhen the arm 17is in the position- A, it 7 1 Figure 8'is an endv elevation of Figure 2 is inaintained'againstlateral moveinent by a Q from the rightthereof. g 7 spring forked clamp20 of 1116 5211118 construc- Figuret isan enlarged detail View, partly 'tionJas the clamp 19, said clamp 20; being in section, of the manual control and pormounted onthe'upper'end of a standard 21 V I I secured tothe floor 16. i v FigureSis a horizontal section onthe line I In this instance, the arm "17 comprises an indicated by 5-5, Figure 1. f -uprightinember201 pivoted at QOQ/to a link V Figure 6 is a view, partly inisec'tion, from- 203 which; in. turn, is 1 pivoted at EZOt-to the the line indicated by '6'-6, Figure 4. I clamp 19 so that fore and aft movement of the showing a modified form of the invention. joy-stick 14E, without ztilting the clamp 19 Figure 18 is an end view of Figure 7 from relative to the oy-s'tick.,- In order to support the right thereof, one of the ailerons being the clamp 19. and link 203 inlproper posi shown in one position in solidlin'esand in tion'so thatthe clamp 19will engagetheajoy- Figure 9 is a diagrammaticview. illustrat when the arm 17 and the oy-stick 14; arever ing thefins, ailerons and control connections, tical, there is attached tothe member 201a as used for the form of the invention illusspring 205 that extends beneath the linkQOZ I 7 trated in Figure 1. I p and, the clamp 19. When the'joy-stick is First describing the form of the invention moved to the left and right,in Figure i, the 95 illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, theaire spring 205 will yield so as to permitlo f the I plane comprises any desired number of wings flink203 and clamp 19 moving downwardlyiin". or airfoils 11. In this instance there are-two the are that they'describe whensuch nioivewings 11, an upper oneand alower'on'e. Each ,inents take place;

"the floor 16. The arm 1'7 is inverted L-shape: x being shown in section. Some of the parts and. at its'freeend 1s provided with a spring 7o Sit . stickfl l atrightangles to said ioy st-ick fi 50 of the wings is provided near its opposite Ihe joy-stick 14 is connectedhy con'nec- 1001 v tions 22 with the ailerons 12, in a manner well understood in this art, so that, when the arm 17 is disengaged from the joy-stick 14, manual control of the ailerons is possible. The arm 17 is connected by connections 23 with. fins 24: which, in this instance, are movably mounted on the lower wing 11, near the outer ends of said wing. The fins 24 are hinged at 25 on the upper surface of the lower wing and the connections 23 are secured, approximately, to the central portions of the lins. The connections 23 consist in part of arms 28 projecting from opposite faces of the ms and in part of cables 27 connected to the outer ends of the arms 26. The cables 27 pass into the structure of the lower wing and around pulleys 28. The connections 22, 23, ailerons 12, lins 24L, arm .17 and joystick l-l are mutually related in a manner that when the fins Qetare in vertical posi- 1 tion the ailerons 12will be in the planes of the wings with which said ailerons are associated.

To facilitate, operation of the arm 17 into its different positions, by the foot of the aviator, said arm 17 18 provided near upper end witha laterally promoting operating member 29 which may be engaged by the toe of the aviator, either to forcethe arm 17 to the right in Figure l into engagement with the clamp 20, or to the left so that the clamp 19 will engage the joystick.

operates as follows Assuming that the rlight of the airplane is such as occurs when the ailerons are in the planes of their respective wings, with the fins 2% vertical, that the arm 17 is engaged with the joy-stick 14:, and that for some reason or other the wings tend o side-slip to the right in Figure 1, the air pressure against the fins 24' will be increased against the right side thereof in Figure 1, thus deflecting them to the left as indicated by broken lines 13. This pulls onthe connections 23 so as to deflect the ailerons 12 on the right to the positions indicated at C, and raise the ailerons on the left to the positions indi cated at D, thereby increasingthe pressure beneath the right ends of the wingsso as to counteract the side-slip. If the side-slip to the left in Figure 1, the fins will operate to deflect the ailerons on the left and raise the ailerons on the right. 4 i

If the aviator desires to assume manual control of the ailerons, he Wlll disengage the.

tical positions, and he can then operate the ulerons by manlpulatlng the oy-stick in a manner well understood in this art. Now describing the modified form of invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8,

the the elements that are the functional equivalents if those hereinbefore described are indicated by the same reference characters with the addition of the letter a. In this instance, the wing is provided near each end with a pair of ailerons 12 and one of the ailerons 12 of each pair is connected by connections 22" with the joy-stick, not shown, and the other aileron of each pair is connected by the connections 23 to the fins 24. Thus, nanual control is had of one set of ailerons and the other set of ailerons is automatically controlled by the fins in the manner hereinbefore described. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, the aviator can alternate from manual control to automatic control, whereas in the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 'Zand 8, there is automatic control which may be supple mented by manual control.

mg act/(m in straight flip/72 7? 7 giving the same result as though the gust had The form of the invention ust described simultaneously struck bot-h wings. This will make for smoother flying and will remove considerable strain on the pilot.

This stabilizing action is secured by the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, when the arm This connected with the joystick 14 and, also, by the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 7, when the joystick is secured in neutral position so as to hold the ailerons, to which said joy-stick is connected, in the plane of the wing.

As sidewind and thrift compensator In a fog, the bank and turn indicator will enable the pilot to keep his ship from turning and keep it level, but does not enable him to detect cross wind. This device automatically takes care of the cross wind as long as the pilot operates the rudder properly. Suppose the pilot is flying due north and a cross wind is blowing from the west, this causes the plane to drift in a northeasterly direction or, rather, it would were it not for the action of these fins. The cross wind exerts pressure on the windward side of the fins, which increases the lift of the left wing by automatically dropping the'left aileron and the plane will assume a right bank, this being detected by the pilot on the bank indicator, and he will apply left rudder. This will cause a tendency of the plane to skid to the right and its nose opposite sides of'the fins to equalize the pres sure exerted on the windward side by the cross wind. This procedure willtend to head the plane into the wind in a northwesterly direction until the pressure is equal on both sides oi": the fins. lVhen the pre'sures are the same, the pl enough to prevent any drift and the ship will fiy in an exact northerly course. This makes the rudder control. the only control necessary for the pilot to fly the ship in a direct course.

The hook-up illustrated in Figures 1 and 9 may be used on a plane in which it may be desirable to use the automatic control only at times, and when the automatic control is kicked into center position the plane may have full maneuverability. It the fiyer were flying blind or in a fog, the control might be used and, also, if the flyer were sketching l maps theship would fly itself with the auto matic control operating. I would advise this hook-up for transports in which it might be necessary to assist the automatic control I when the plane is heavily loaded. This would be ideal for commerclal transports where gradual'turns are nearly always used. It would make flying very smooth and would add to the comfort of the passengers.

The hook-up illustrated in Figures 7 andmay be used on student training; planes and the student willhave full control of the plane, but the automatic control. will teach him not to over-control and will teach him the proper amount of bank for turns of different radii and for different speedsoi the ship. It will also make it safer for students because they cannot put the airplane into a side-slip.

A h-ook-upflike that illustrated in Figures and 8, but omitting; the connections 22. and their connected ailerons, may be used at I a later time, when the device has been tried out more fully and proven to the aviation experts and pilots that it willwor; to perfection, and when they have placed their confidence in it. y I Y This device maybe used on any type of plane. These fins onthe wings will also increase the efliciency of the "wings by cutting;

down the vortex loss of the wings. I I claim: V 1. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, fins movably mounted on the endportions of the wing, ailerons ad justably connected withthe wing, and coniections between thejfins andailerons', said connections including a joystick.

2. An automatically controlled airplane,-

comprising a wing, fins-movably mounted on Zheend portions of the wing, ailerons adjustably connected with the wing, and connections between the fins and ailerons, said connections including a joy-stick, and a mov:

ably mounted arm provided with a clamp-to engage the joy-stick. I

one will be headed into the-wind Y comprising a wing," finsmovablymoun ted on i ally control someof the ailerons, and means operable by independent movement of the dependently of each other.

comprisin a wing, ailerons movably mountmeans operableby-tilting of the fins toward fins and ailerons, said connections including.

a oy-stick- SLQAn auton'i'atically controlled airplane comprising' a wi1ig, fins movably mounted on the end portions of the wing, ailerons ad jiistably connected with the wine, a joy-stick, I connections hetweenthe joy-stick andailerons, a movably mounted armprovided with a claiiip to engage the joy-stick, and connections betweenj'said arm and the V An; automatically controlled airplane the end portions of the wing, ailerons 'a'djustably connected with the wing, at oy-sti'ck, connections between the joy-stick and the ailerons, a. movably'mounted arm provided with a clamp to engage the joy-stick, a means to releasably hold the armwhen said arm is disengaged from the joy-stick, and connections between said arm and the fins.

An automatically controlledairplane comprising a wing, fins movably mounted on the end portions of the wing, .a pair of ails-f rons adjustably connected with each end portion ofthe wingin anual eontrol means for one of the ailerons of eachpainand independent connections [respectively between'the other ailerons and the associated fins. i

6. An automatically controlled airplane j comprising a wing, finsin'ova'bly mounted-I on the, end portions of the wing, ailerons a d-' justablyconnected with the wing, a joysticlnconnecti gns between the j'oy sti'cl'r and 1 ailerons. and means releasably connecting? the end iportions ot the wing,'ailerons morably mountedion the wing, ameaas'to inanually control the ailerons, and a means releasably connecting the fins with the first mentioned means.

V 8. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, fins movably mounted on. the end portions of the wing, ailerons movably mounted on the wing, a means to manufins to control each of the other ailerons in- 9. An automatically controlled airplane ed on the wing,-fins mounted to extend fore and aft with respect-to the wing and to tilt toward-and from the ends of the wing, and

one end'ot'th'e wing to raisetheaileron, assoclated with said end and to deflect the aileron associated with the opposite endv of said wing, said means including a manual control member.

-10.. An automatically controlled. airplane comprising a wing, fins movably connectedwith the wing, ailerons adjustably connected with the wing, and connections between the 11.,An automatically controlled airplane con'lprising a wing, fins movably connected with the wing, ailerons adjustably connected with the wing, and connections between the 5 fins and ailerons, said connections including a manual control member.

12. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, fins movably connected with the wing, ailerons adjustably connected 10 with the wing, connections between the fins and ailerons, said connections including a manual control member and including a member releasably connected with said manual' control member.

13. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, fins movably connected with the wing, ailerons adjustably connected with the wing, connections between the fins and the ailerons, said connections including 25 a manual control member and including a movably mounted member detachably connected with said manual control member.

14. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, fins hingedly connected 2 :5 in upright position to the wing so as to rock longitudinally of the wing, ailerons movably connected with the wing, and connections between the fins and the ailerons, said connections including a manual control member.

2:: 15. An automatically controlled airplane comprising a wing, a fin movably connected with the wing, ailerons adjustably connected with the wing, and connections between the finvand ailerons, said connections including a manual control member.

W Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of J anuary,'1929.

ROBERT M. ADAl SON. 

